Recently, I was invited to present at the first annual AGOYO virtual conference. I gave a 20-minute presentation that was centered around the role of the organ builders Marcussen & Søns in the organ reform movement. When I first began my research, I didn’t really know where to start. Fortunately, I had done many projects of this kind in school, so I decided to follow the same process that I had previously. My research was focused on the company Marcussen & Søns, so I began by going to their website. At first, I would write solely based on what I had read on the website, but as I wrote more, I had more questions about the subject. I began to search for these answers, and as I learned more, I was able to expand the content of my research. 

As many of you might know, I posted some of my previous research to the blog which was a helpful start. However, I did not base my entire presentation on this because it was a slightly different topic. To begin creating my presentation, I looked at the subject matter as if I knew nothing about it. It is important to establish the history and basis when presenting, because most people will not understand the subject matter as deeply as you. I began by introducing Marcussen as a company, and establishing its previous impact demonstrated in the Romantic era. While doing this, I introduced some Romantic technology and described how it functioned. It is important to remember to be honest while presenting or conducting research because you will not completely understand everything you read and it’s best to speak mostly about topics that you understand from your reading. This is helpful if you encounter questions because questions are the audience’s way of engaging with you. If you attempt to just recite something you’ve read without understanding, it could send the message that you are more familiar with a topic than you are and could mislead the audience about the true purpose of your research. 

As you present, it is also important to maintain eye contact when you can. This becomes more complicated if you have speaker notes, but it is possible. In-person, it is best to memorize most of a presentation and only use notes for references, glancing down occasionally. Online, placing speaker notes in the part of the screen closest to the camera will usually do the trick. This allows you to glance up at the camera, or down at your notes. It is also extremely important to speak slowly. While people will understand your normal pace, speaking slowly allows the audience to digest what you are saying. It will feel like you are speaking too slowly but that probably means it is the right speed. It is also important to have correct pronunciation and keep inflections in your voice so as not to sound like a robot. 

The process of research and presenting might seem daunting at first, especially if you’re not backed by an institution or it is your first time researching. However, if you are truly interested in a subject and dedicate the time and effort, research is definitely possible.